Archive for the 'Florida Panthers' Tag Under 'Ducks' Category

The Ducks acquired their second winger in five days, getting veteran Tomas Fleischmann on Saturday from the Florida Panthers for Dany Heatley and a third-round pick in this year's NHL draft.

Fleischmann, 30, has seven goals and 14 assists in 52 games with the Panthers this season. The 10-year veteran has 115 goals and 182 assists with Washington, Colorado and Florida.

His first season with Florida was his best as he had career highs of 27 goals and 61 points in 2011-12. Fleischmann also flourished under Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau when the two were in Washington as he peaked with 23 goals and 51 points in 2009-10.

The Ducks rank 10th in scoring with a 2.82 average but they've often found it difficult to finish plays and find the net consistently after having the league's top offense last season, scoring a franchise-record 263 goals.

Weather permitting, Fleischmann is expected to arrive in Dallas late Saturday and could make his debut Sunday when the Ducks face the Stars.

SUNRISE, Fla. – Some notes, quotes and other musings from the Ducks’ 6-2 loss to Florida on Tuesday night …

-- Losing in one-sided fashion to a team that could be the Stanley Cup Final representative out of the Eastern Conference is one thing. Getting boat-raced for a second straight time, this one at the hands of a young Panthers squad for the second time this season is another.

There is a real air of concern around the Ducks now. Not in the sense of a strong season falling apart but more in that they’re now failing to correct the problems that creep into their game from time to time.

Defense and goaltending have been their running chief question marks and they didn’t provide any hopeful answers against a team that’s still a year away from playoff competition.

“I don’t want to single anybody out or anything but I mean we’re concerned with the amount of goals we’re giving up,” Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said. “We’re a team that was in the top 10 defensively last year. And we think we’re a better team. We’re concerned about it.”

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Here is the expected lineup that the Ducks (34-13-7) will start with against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night at BB&T Center. John Gibson was called up from Norfolk (AHL) to replace the injured Frederik Andersen but Coach Bruce Boudreau is going with Ilya Bryzgalov (1-3-1, 3.95 GAA, .859 SV%) to reward the veteran after his strong 32-save effort last week against Washington. The Ducks will be shorthanded as defenseman Hampus Lindholm (lower body) likely won't play after missing the final nine minutes of Sunday's loss to Tampa Bay. Lindholm did skate in the morning but didn't take any rushes with his normal defense partner Francois Beauchemin and remains day to day. Jakob Silfverberg (flu) might also be a lineup casualty as he remained back at the team hotel. Ben Lovejoy will return after being scratched a second time in three games. Ryan Getzlaf is playing through a lower-body injury but will be back in after scoring his 17th goal of the season Sunday.

SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Ducks recalled goaltender John Gibson from their American Hockey League team in Norfolk (Va.) on Tuesday as starter Frederik Andersen was put on injured reserve.

Gibson was on call Monday as the Ducks determined what to do with Andersen, who has a sore head and neck after being hit by the crossbar Sunday when Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm inadvertently tipped it over as he was defending against Tampa Bay's Ondrej Palat.

Andersen will have to miss at least three starts, making next week's rematch with the Lightning at home as the first chance he has to getting back in action.

"I think yesterday was the determination all day," Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said as Andersen was unable to practice. "Do we need somebody? Do we not need somebody? Do we need somebody? Do we not need somebody?

"They made the decision that it's better being safe than sorry. That's what went into it and that's why Gibby's here today."

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Ducks addressed their organizational depth on defense Thursday by acquiring Colby Robak from the Florida Panthers for defenseman Jesse Blacker and a conditional draft pick.

Robak, 24, had appeared in seven games with the Panthers this season and did not record a point. He has played in 42 games with Florida over the last four years after being selected by the Panthers in the second round of the 2008 NHL draft.

Robak will report to the Ducks and join them on their two-game road trip to Minnesota and Winnipeg. The Ducks witnessed the Manitoba native up close on Nov. 16 when he logged 17 minutes, 41 seconds of ice time in Florida’s 6-2 victory at Honda Center.

The Ducks will either surrender a fourth-round selection in 2016 or a sixth-round pick in 2017 based on the number of games Robak plays with them.

ANAHEIM -- The dreaded trap game arrived for the Ducks on Sunday night and they were caught in it without any hope of getting out.

After an emotional home-and-home showdown with the Kings that had each needing to go beyond 60 minutes to claim victory, the Ducks turned in an absolute clunker against the Florida Panthers as the NHL's lowest scoring team sailed away with a shocking 6-2 rout.

There was nothing redeeming in this one for the Ducks (11-4-4), who went down meekly for their first regulation loss since Oct. 30 after points gained in seven straight games. The presence of Corey Perry and Kyle Palmieri back in their lineup had no effect.

The six goals were a season high for Florida (6-4-5), which had a NHL-low 27 entering the game.

Goals by Hampus Lindholm and Andrew Cogliano were all they could manage in capping an unfulfilling 1-1-4 stretch for their six games in Southern California before heading up to Calgary and Vancouver for key Pacific Division battles this week.

ANAHEIM -- Here is the potential lineup that the Ducks (11-3-4) will start with against the Florida Panthers on Sunday night at Honda Center. The Ducks have lost four of their last five games but have gained points in each as they've played in a franchise-record five straight overtime games. Corey Perry (mumps) is a game-time decision according to Coach Bruce Boudreau, who strongly hinted that the winger doesn't need a practice with his teammates to get back into game action. If Perry does not go, then Ducks could revert to going with Patrick Maroon and Emerson Etem on the top line with Ryan Getzlaf. Devante Smith-Pelly (shoulder) missed Saturday's game and is questionable. Smith-Pelly could also be a top-line possibility if he plays. Since Frederik Andersen went Saturday against the Kings, it is possible that Jason LaBarbera (2-0-1, 2.66 GAA, .900 SV%) goes in goal and Andersen is rested to get ready for Calgary on Tuesday. Kyle Palmieri (ankle) played in two rehab games with Norfolk of the AHL and should be ready to return for the Ducks this week. Francois Beauchemin (mumps), Ben Lovejoy (finger), Dany Heatley (groin), Mark Fistric (back) and John Gibson (groin) all remain out.

ANAHEIM -- The first period has been hit-or-miss for the Ducks all season. The second period for them has been an absolute hit through and through.

The Ducks got back on the beam at Honda Center, using four goals in the middle stanza to blow out the Florida Panthers, 6-2, before an overflow crowd of 17,281 on Sunday night.

Ryan Getzlaf hit a few milestones in a much-needed easy win for the Ducks (46-18-7), who snapped a four-game losing streak at home and had been just 4-7-2 in their friendly confines since starting out a record 20-0-2.

Getzlaf's goal in the third gave him 30 for the first time in his nine-year career and his three points pushed him to 600. He joined Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya as the only Ducks who have scored that many while wearing their uniform.

But the game was decided well before that moment. The Ducks didn't waste any time busting it wide open in the second and gave goalie Jonas Hiller (28 saves) plenty of support.

ANAHEIM -- Here is the expected lineup that the Ducks (45-18-7) will start with against the Florida Panthers on Sunday night at Honda Center. Jonas Hiller (27-11-6, 2.40 GAA, .914 SV%) will get the start as he looks to post his second win in his last six outings. Matt Beleskey should be available after missing Thursday's game in San Jose due to illness but Nick Bonino (foot) might still be a game away from returning. Sami Vatanen (lower body) could play his first game for the Ducks since Feb. 5 but Luca Sbisa could easily draw in despite a not-so-smart penalty against Sharks that led to a power-play goal.